You might think that four year old children don’t need to be read to any more .  You think that they are near school age and that school will continue your child’s language development.   This is not the case.  Books that you read to your child will continue to be the best source of vocabulary development.  Continuing to read with  your child will enhance their vocabulary of words that they are not familiar with.  These are words that they do not hear in everyday conversations.  There are also stories that will introduce them to topics that are conceptual and not concrete.  For example books on feelings, hate or imagination.  Reading these kinds of books will help your child deal with their fears and begin to talk about them.  Continuing to read with your child further helps with their ability to read independently.

There are many reading games that you can play with your four year old:

• The “Why game”  ask questions about the books, characters or about the ending ( this is the WHY stage use it to your advantage)
• You can act out the story together after reading it.
• Use picture books with limited words, but with pictures that support the story and have your child tell you the story. ( teaching beginning, middle and end of stories)
• The compare game;  find a story about an experience that your child has had and talk about how they are similar.
• The compare game:  using characters from a story and comparing themselves and the character and what they have in common; or other people in your family.

At this stage of development you may have to get creative to keep their interest.  You could read the story giving each character a different voice.  You could act out part of the story.  Encourage your four year old to ask question by asking them questions about the book.   Ask your child if they would like to help you read or act out part of the story.  Remember not to push them if they refuse.  Have your child help you turn the pages and teach them to follow with their finger as you read.  This will help them to see that we read from left to right and that words have spaces that separate them.

Remember reading is still a game at this age. The advantages of continuing to  read with your child are investments into his future.  As you continue to read with them expect to see:

• his ability to recognize letters and their sounds
• learn the parts of a book
• understand uncommon vocabulary
• making connection in books of characters and themselves
• learning that stories have a beginning, middle and an end
• most important is developing phonological awareness

All this and more by continuing to read with your child.  No money involved just your time and love.  Not a bad deal.

Written by a veteran teacher of 34 years who hopes to give parents and new teachers tried and true strategies that work. After teaching reading for many years, reading to your child is still the best investment into their future. If you need more ideas come join me at http://www.squidoo.com/Reading-games-for-kids and look for the educationfiary.